Einsatzgruppen

Becker Letter dated May 16, 1942 on gas vans
Contemporary Source

1942-05-16 / The Becker Letter on Gas Vans: “The gassing is generally not carried out correctly … the persons being executed die of suffocation”

On May 16, 1942, SS-Untersturmführer August Becker submitted a report to the head of RSHA department II D, Walther Rauff, on his inspection of the operation of the homicidal gas vans at the Einsatzgruppen. Becker noted that the vehicles had become widely recognized, “that not only the authorities but also the civilian population referred to them as ‘death vehicles’ as soon as one of them appeared”. He also observed “various units have their own men unload the vehicle after the gassing,” and warned the commanders of “what enormous psychological and physical harm this work can cause to the men.” He states that “the gassing is generally not carried out correctly,” as drivers “consistently apply full throttle,” with the result that victims “die of suffocation.”

Contemporary Source

1943-03-24 / Swiss Intelligence Receives 1942 German Report on Ukraine that “Executions of Jews Have Not Improved Our Reputation”

In March 1943, the Swiss Legation in Germany forwarded a transcript of a report from Alfred Rosenberg’s Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories dated May 13, 1942, on the public sentiment in German-occupied Ukraine during the Second World War. Among other observations, the report noted that “the exemplary conduct of the German soldiers dispelled the initial concerns about the alleged brutality of our troops. If we disregard the executions of Jews, which have not improved our reputation—however much Jewry is hated there—the hardships necessary in war have not greatly impressed the Russian people, for they are accustomed to such things”.

Einsatzgruppen report no. 88 dated September 19, 1941
Perpetrator

1941-09-19 / Einsatzgruppen Event Report USSR No. 88: “Total number of executions amounts to 85,000”

Einsatzgruppen Report No. 88, dated 19 September 1941, constitutes contemporaneous evidence of systematic Nazi mass murder in the occuopied Soviet Union. Under the heading “liquidations,” Einsatzgruppe A reported that “districts are now free of Jews,” and that “the number of persons liquidated by Einsatzkommando 3 together with Lithuanian partisans has risen to 46,692. The total number of executions amounts to approximately 85,000.” It further mentions that “544 mentally ill patients from the asylum in Aglona were liquidated with the assistance of Latvian self-defense units.” Einsatzgruppe B similarly documented mass shootings. It reported that Sonderkommando 4a “shot 1,107 adult Jews, and the Ukrainian militia shot 561 juvenile Jews. Thus, Sonderkommando 4a has, up to 6 September 1941, dealt with a total of 11,328 Jews.” Furthermore, the report states that “a unit of the Higher SS and Police Leader executed 1,303 Jews, including 876 Jewish women over the age of 12.”

Contemporary Source

1941-08-26 / Telex from HSSPF South: 1269 Jews Shot by SS and Police Units

Telex from the Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) Russia South, Friedrich Jeckeln, to the Kommando Stab RF-SS, dated 26 August 1941. The situation report records that the 1st SS Brigade reported “82 Jews shot,” Police Regiment South reported “549 Jews shot,” Police Battalion 314 recorded “69 Jews shot,” and the staff company of the HSSPF reported “546 Jews shot.” Taken together, the figures in the telex amount to the reported shooting of 1,269 Jews.

Jeckeln radio report Police Battalion 320 Kamenenz Podolskij 1941
Contemporary Source

1941-08-28 / Radio Message from HSSPF South: “5,000 Jews were shot” in Kamenets-Podolsky

Radio message from the Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) Russia South, Friedrich Jeckeln, to the Kommando Stab RF-SS, dated 28 August 1941. The situation report records that Police Regiment South reported “369 Jews shot,” while Police Battalion 320 stated that, “approximately 5,000 Jews were shot” during the “special action” in Kamenets-Podolsky (Kamianets-Podilskyi).

Wehrmacht Report dated November 10, 1941 on complete elimination of Jews
Contemporary Source

1941-11-10 / “The Complete Elimination of This Alien Element Is Being Carried Out”: A Wehrmacht Report From Minsk on The Jews

Cover letter dated 13 November 1941 and situation report dated 10 November 1941 from the Wehrmacht Commander in White Ruthenia concerning the political and military situation in the occupied territory. The report states with regard to the Jews that “since they continue to make common cause with the Communists and partisans, the complete elimination of this alien element is being carried out,” and that these actions had so far taken place “in the eastern part of the area, in the former Soviet–Russian border region and along the Minsk–Brest Litovsk railway line.” Attached to the situation report was the supplementary report on “special incidents” describing such a “cleansing action” in the Sluzk–Kleck area: “5,900 Jews were shot by Reserve Police Battalion 11”.

Contemporary Source

1941-08-07 / Radio Message from HSSPF Mitte: Executions Exceed 30,000

Radio message (copy) from the Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) Mitte, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, to the Kommando Stab RF-SS, dated 7 August 1941. The situation report states that “by today at noon a further 3,600 have been executed” by the SS Cavalry Brigade, “so that the total number executed by the Cavalry Brigade to date amounts to 7,819.” The report concludes that “thus the figure of 30,000 in my area has been exceeded.”

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